Method of and apparatus for segregating minerals.



H. E. TAYLOR.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SEGREGATING MINERALS.

APPLICATION mu) APR. 1, 19:3.

Patented Dec, 4:, 1917/.

:7" 25 1 [I W v 25352.6 may 4 f f v HIE, 1E. TAYLOR, OF NORTH ADAIlIfi, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR Tl) NATIONAL METALS COMPANY, 015 PHOENIX, ARIZUNA, A CORPORATION OF ian'rnon or an]; r. r;

aerate. i

To all whom it may concern:

.suitable for carrying my method into efi'ect,

' tion of ray-invention resides.

Be it known that I, HIRAM E. TAYnoR, a

' citizen of the United States, and resident of North Adams, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Segregating Minerals, of which't-he following is a specifi- .cation.

This invention has for its object t9 fur nish an efficient and economical method of pounds fromthe ores in which such substances are found-in nature, and also to provide an apparatus capable of carrying the invention into effect. The m'anner in which I accomplish this object is described in de tail in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The present invention includes steps of the operation and features of the apparatus de scribed and illustrated in my prior application, Serial N0.- 608,173, filed February 11,

1911,-with certain additional steps and features, and .in so far as the disclosure herein correspondsto prior application referred to, this application is-a continuation-of the prior one.

In'the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents inelevation, a formof apparatus and including the features in which one porlfiig. 2 is a detail view showing a possible form of one of the elements of the apparatus.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts mall the figures.

Y .T will first describe the particular apparratus' herein illustrated and then explain the principles according to which it operates and the method carried out thereby. In

the drawing 1 represents a table or support 'on which is mounted a volatilizing furnace 2, or a plurality of such furnaces. In the drawing, one furnace only is shown for illustration and this one is to be considered as typical of all where more than one are used.

The furnace is electrical in character and the.

heatis furnished by an electric are produced between carbon pencils. There may be one positive electrodes or carbon pencils being designated 3 and the negative ones 4. They Specification of Letters Iatent. Application filed April 7, 1913. Serial No. raain.

11:; MONA.

FOR SEG REGATING MINERALS.

Patented Dee;d,1h1to pass through the inclosing walls of the furnace 2, which Walls are made of or lined with, refractory material such as tile or fire brick, etc. The pencils are adjustably mounted in holders 5, 6 respectively whereby they may be adjusted to produce the proper sort of are. They are arranged in vertical series where more than one pair are i used, whereby a vertical zone of intense heat of as great .a length as required may be maintained.

From the furnace a conduit 7 rises and connects with a transfer pipe 8 which opens lnto a condensing chamber 9, into whicha spray of water is projected by a sprinkler .10 fed by a pipe 11. A pipe 12 leads from 'the bottom of the condensing chamber and is led to a tank 13, supported at a level higher than the condensing chamber, from which the pipe 11 extends and is fed by gravity. A pump 14 takes the liquor issuing from the bottom of the condensing chamber and delivers it into the tank13. It will be noted that the transfer pipe 8 is yery short and runs directly from the furnace to the condensing chamber, which latter is very near to the furnace. This propinquity of the furnace and condensing chamber and the brief extent of the transfer pipe enable the volatile products of the furnace to be delivered into the "condensing chamberbefore they have had time to become cooled or condensed to any appreciable extent.

The'ore to be treated is placed-in a funnel,

hopper, or other suitable container 15, from' which a pipe 16 leads downwardly into the furnace and terminates directly above the arc so as to discharge its contents into the zone of most intense'heat.

The method or process in which my invention resides, in the carrying out of which I use the apparatus above described, may now be understood. .Broadly stated it consists', first and essentially in bringing the .volatile products of a part, or all, ofthe ore, or of the ingredients of the ore, obtainedby heating, into such intimately mingled or mixed relation with a suitable liquid, that such volatile productsare apparently absorbed by the liquid, and a resultant liquor is produced, which exhibits many of the characteristics of a solution. This is accomplished, with the apparatus here illustrated, by feedingmetalbearing,

or other, ore to the are produced between 2 V 1,aas,e4e

the carbon pencils 3, 4, volatilizing said ore by the heat of the are, conducting the products of volatilization into the condensing chamber 9, mixing the products of volatihzation while in substantially the condition in which they are produced with a certain liquid solvent, which I will presently name, and delivering the liquor consisting of this solvent with such products contained therein, through the pipe 12 under propulsion of the pump 14 to the tank 13. i This liquor may be further enriched with the constituents of the ore by being-circulated again and again through the condensing chamber and pump, thereby receiving constant additions to the vaporous matter al-. ready absorbed.

Although the only means I have thus far described for volatilizing is the electric arc,

, produce a liquor containing volatile products liberated or produced from ore through the action of heat, it is not material to :that aspect of the invention by Which'particular heating means such volatile products are produced, nor whether such volatile prodnets are of the same chemical composition as the natural ore or are of difi'erent composition,'norfwhether or not all of the constituice ents o r ingredients of theore are converted into a volatile condition. I consider that the method of absorbing in a solvent the volatile constituents or products delivered or produced from ore, in substantially the condition in which they are thus produced, whether produced by the'ordinary processes of smelting, or by the heat of an electric arc, or in any other way," is within the scope of my invention and is covered by the appended claims. Q

The' solvent which I use is acidulated wa: ter, having "as its, acid principle, various acids suitedto the character of ore treated.

In treating'ores of base metals such as copper, tin, zinc, lead, and the like, I'may use hydrochloric acid, While for treatingores containing precious metals I may use a ua regia. In,practice I have found it suita le in making the hydrochlorlc acid solution, to

use the concentrated acid'of commerce in the proportions of about one ounce (or more) to twentyquarts of .water. In practice also I have used aqua "regia c mposedfof three parts of hydrochloric acidto one part of nitric acid, these being the concentrated acids of commerce. The aqua regia so made, I have mixed with water in the same strength, that is, one ounce (or more) to twenty quarts of water. These proportions of water and acid are not fixed and invariable, but, on the contrary, a latitude inthe strength of the solvent may be permitted according to the character of the ore treated, it being desirable that the solvent be of sufficient strength to dissolve at least a part of the metal constituent of the ore, in the volatile state, and any acid solution having such strength is within the scope of this invention. I have foundin practice that com paratively weak acid solutions will readily absorb the products into which the ore is converted by this treatment.

Preferably acid-proof material is employedas far as possibleiii the construction of the apparatus. 1

The ore, preferably pulverized to a fineness sufiicient to pass through a screen hav- .ing forty or more meshes to the inch, and

being thereby brought to a sufiiciently fine granular condition, upon being fed into the -as possible, and as; rapidly as possible. The vacuum maintained in the condensing chamber by the sudden cooling and condensation of the products of, volatilization and the pumping out of the liquor, induces flow of practically all of said products through the conduits 7 and 8. Said prod- .ucts enterthe condensing chamber at a point below the top thereof, and the sprinkler 10 is above this point. Hence the solution introduced ,as a spray falls into the products from the furnace, and carries them down to the bottom of the chamber. The location of the sprinkler, above the point at which the products from the furnace enter the condensing chamber, is an important feature, as

' it secures a more efiicient mingling of the volatile matter with the spray, and lnsures that all ofthe volatile products which enter .the condensing chamber are washed to the bottom of the chamber.

A convenient form of sprinkler for these purposes is.shown at Fig. 2 and consists of a cup having a concave bowl 28 suspended across the open end of the pipe 11. The suspension means includes a strap 29, clamped tothepipe and has separated arms 30 connecting the strap with the cup. This sprinkler or sprayer may be adjusted to the most convenient point on the pipe.

Another feature of importance is that the pump 14 also serves the function of an agi- .ently no sediment. treated by the addition of alkali a Leas es tator which stirs the liquor and intimately mixes and mingles the liquid and volatile products together. I have found in practical experience that a mechanical agitation of the liquid and volatile products together is, if not essential, at least very efficient in effecting an absorption of the volatileproducts by the liquid, and that, although without agitation it is in many cases difficult to cause the liquor to retain the volatile products, yet-with agitation the absorption of such products by the liquor is accomplished without'difiiculty. When the volatile products have been thus absorbed they are retained in the liquor with a tenacity resembling that with which soluble 'substances are retained in solution by their solvents. While the pump as above described th us constitutes a means for agitating and mixing the volatile matter and liquor, it is not the only means which could be used for this purpose, and therefore I include Within my invention the step of causing an absorption of the volatile matter by the liquor .through agitation produced in any manner and by any means whatever suitedto the purpose.- I also prefer to make the pump 14 of such construction or character that it is. capable of pumping gases, as well as liquids. ,Such a pump is effective for performing the functions of both an agitator and a pump.-

I have found, .in practice, that when liquor produced in the manner described, by

action upon some sorts of'ore has been allowed to stand for a considerable length of time, a sediment has settled 'on the bottom" parent, while in'other cases the liquor has been clear from the beginning, with appar- When such liquor is precipitate is instantly formed. 1

A secondary part of my invention consists in the step of recovering the desired elements or ingredients of the ore from the liquor in which they have been entrapped by the methods hereinbefore described. Many modes of treating the liquor to accomplish this end may be practised, and

such modes or treatments may vary accord-- ing to the character of the ore and the substance desired to be recovered. One pos-' of tank 17'discharges into tank 18. A pipe line 21 in which there is a pump 22 passes from the bottom ofthe tank 18 to a point whence it may discharge into the tank 13.

The tanks are all provided with drainparatus.

according to principles wellknown to those familiar with electro-deposition to the end that any metal which is a constituent of the ore may be extracted from the liquor in any selected tank by deposition on the electrodes in that tank.

The character of metals to be sought for by the electric action is determinedbya preliminary assay of the ore, and it'may also be determined with great accuracy by those skilled in the performance of the method, by a study of the colors of the volatilized ore in the arc. I

One other possible mode of treatment of the solution than that of electro-deposition, bywhich also to secure the metals, consists in precipitating the liquor obtained from the condensing chamber by an alkaline reagent, drying the precipitate formed thereby, heating the precipitate in a crucible with a flux composed of carbonate of soda and borax andsometimes adding common sand. When the mass consisting of the mixture of the precipitate and of carbonate of soda and borax is'heated until it becomes of a pasty consistency, the sand (when used) is added and the heating is continued until the mixture completely melts and becomes liquid. Then the liquid is poured into a mold in which, before hardening, the metal settles to the bottom. The flux above men-. tioned is preferably made in the proportion of approximately one part of borax to two parts of carbonate of soda, and common .sand. (when used) inquantities acording to By describing my method and apparatus thus particularly I have not intended todo more than illustrate the essential features of the invention. The process may be varied in many particulars in accordance with the ores treated, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and so also may the details of construction of the 'ap- Uther products than merely metals as hereinbefore described may be obtained by proper modifications of the method, asfor instance possibly metallic alloys, sulfur compounds, and acids or salts of various sorts.

I have treated by the process hereinbefore described, many kinds of ores obtained from many Widely separated parts of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, containing'not only the precious metals, but also lead, iron, zinc, arsenic, cobalt, sulfur, magnesia, lime and other metals and sub. stances. In every instance the pulverized 1 or granulated-ore was fed intdthelectri arc, the ore was volatilized thereby, and the products of such volatilizationwere gntrapped in an acid- SOlhltiOlt COlltfllhlHg. either hydrochlpri acid, or a niixtuieofhydrochloric arid hitric acids -.as the acid principle, in substantially tlie proportions above named. 1, I-have found as a result of my experience and experiments that every kind 'of ore] treated was volatilized ant? th t substan tially all of the volatile productscomingin contact with the solvent were absorbed andf retained in the solvent I have also found that some at least of thejngtedients of the ores thus absorbed were so retained in the; liquor as to be incapableof rerhoval by me chanical means such as filtration'f lhave also succeeded in eiitracting. the metals sought, for from the liquorsso produced, by

the methods hei'einbefore described, and this is true in respect to-even such ores as contained metals in chemical combination with other substances; at least to the extentithat in case or the ores last referred to I was" able to recover the metals by precipitation and heating with borax and carbonate of soda.' I have also found that it is possible to obtain a larger proportion of the metalsj of all ores by my process than by any other known process, and that valuable by prodacts as well as metals are obtainable from f ores treated by my method. p In the foregoing description and in=the following claims the terms products .of volatilization, volatile products, volatile matter, and products from the furnace I are intended-to include generically all the substances of gaseous or vaporous nature which are developed, formed, or liberated by the action of the intense heat Within the furnace upon the ore which isfed into the furnace, and include all gases of the metals or other constituents of the ore, whether elemental or in the same compounds as exist in the original ore, or in combination with ;-,ogrygen by reaction occurring at the time of volatilization. I 1

That I claim 'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is L 1. The method of producing a liquor containing in a dissolved condition the volatile products of minerals, which consists in heat-' ing -the minerals to the point at which the mineral is volatilized, and bringing the volatile-.matter as produced into intimate .mixture' with a solvent. '2. The method of producing a liquor containing in a dissolved conditionthe volatile products of mineral ore, which consists in 3. A process\for tlie;.purpose indicated -the liquor.

and meltin heating the ore to a degree sufiicient to volatilize and dissociate the minerals of the ore, conducting the volatile matter so liberated or produced, into contact with a solvent and causing suclnsolvent to entrap and retain such volatile matter.

7 which-consists in feeding the ore into the region of an electric arc, whereby mineral is converted into gas, and intimately mingling such gas with liquid.

eljThe method of producing a liquor con- "taining constituents of a mineral ore in solut on, which consists indicating the ore'until volatile matter is produced, conducting such volatlle natter as produced into contact with which consists in vol'at'ilizing theore in an electric fare, and entrapping the metallic constituents of the volatile matterproduced thereby in aflsolvent consisting ,of water acidulated with hydrochloric acid.

7. The method of treating metallic ores which consists in volatilizing the ore in an a solilent consisting mainly ofcacidulated electric arc, and collecting the metallic constituents of the volatile matterproduced thereby in asolvent consisting. of water acidulated with a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids. I

8. The method of extracting metals from. ores which consists in volatilizing the ore,-

intimately mingling the volatilized products, as produced, with a liquid, and extracting the metal from the liquid. v 9. A process of separating mineral fro the ore in which it occurs which consists in heating the ore to such a degree that it is volatilized and dissociated, absorbing the gas thus produced in' aliquid while the gas is nascent, and separating the mineral from -10. Aprocessfor separating metal from the natural substance in which it is .found which consists in heating'the natural substance to such; a degree that the whole or a portion thereof isconverted into gas, as produced, conducting the gas into intimate contact with a spray of diluteacid, precipitating the metallic matter absorbed by such acid by the action of an alkaline reagent,

g the precipitate with a suitable naaaeae contact with a spray of dilute acid, and mixing the gas and acid thoroughly together.

- 12. A process for separating a metallic substance from the natural substance in which it is found combined which consists in heating the natural substance to sucha degree that the whole or a portion thereof is converted into gas, conducting the gas into intimate contact with a spray oit dilute acid, precipitating the metallic mat- I substance to such a degree that the whole or a portion thereofis converted into gas, conducting the gas into intimate contact with a spray of dilute acid, precipitating the metallic matter absorbed in the acid by anvalkaline reagent, softening the pr'ecipitate, mixed with a flux consisting of borax,

and carbonate of soda,- by heating to a pasty heating'the mixture'until it has become liquid, and allowing the melted liquid to settle and cool;

14. A method of treating ores which consists in feedingth'e ore in'a finely divided condition to a ,region of high temperature,

. making "such temperature of an intensity sufiicient to convert the ore into a gaseous condition, collecting the gas while at-the i'ntensely high temperature, mixing the collected gas lntimately with a liquid by means oi. a spray of the latter, and conducting the same liquid repeatedly into intimate relation with newly generated and collected gas. 15. The method of treating ores which consists. in feeding the ore in a finely divided condition to a region of heat of an intensity and area sufficienfito convert the ore into a gaseous condition, collecting the gases so produced, and injecting a spray of dilute acid into the space containing the collected gases, whereby such gases are condensed and absorbed by the acid.

16. The method of obtaining liquor containing mineral substances, which consists in heating the r'aw material in which such substance is found'to a degree sufficient to volatilize such substance, bringing the products of volatilization so produced into intimate mingled relation with a liquid, and agitating the liquid and products of volatilization together to cause absorption ofthe products of volatilization by the liquid.

17. The method of producing a-liquor containing the ingredients of metal bearing ore, which. consists in heating raw ore to the point of volatilization, bringing the prodnets of volatiliation produced thereby into contact with a liquid which consists mainly sorption of the ature at which the metal constituents there-- of are volatilized, and intimately mixing the volatile matter so produced while in the has cent condition, with a dilute aqueous solution of aqua regia.

20. The method of producing a "liquor containing precious metals, in solution, .which consists in heating ore containing such precious metals to the tem erature at which such metals are volatilize and mixconsistency, adding common sand, further 1n the volatilized metals intimately with dihlte aqua regia, whereby such metals are to a considerable extent dissolved.

' 21. The-method of treating metaliierous' ores" which consists in volatihzingand dis ,95

sociating metallic constituents of the ore by intense heat, and bringing the nascent jgaseous substances thereby produced into intimate contact with an aqueous solution of nascent aqua regia.

, 22. The method of .and bringing the gaseous substances producedby such. v'olatilizationwhile in a nascent condition into intimate mixture with an aqueous acidsolution, whereby such gaseous substances are wholly or partially dissolved. Y

23. The method of treating ores which.

treating metaliierous' consists in first heating such ores to the tem-- perature of volatilization and dissociation of the constituents of the ore, and at once bringing the gases produced by such heating into intimate contact with relatively cold liquid.

24:. The method of treating ores which consists in first heating such ores to the temperature of volatilizati'on and dissociation of the constituents of the ore, and at once bringing the gases produced by such heating into intimate contact with relatively cold liquid and agitating the liquid and gas together in a confined space.

25. An' ore treating apparatus, comprising heating means adapted to raise the temperature of ore to the point at which volatile matter is liberted from such ore, a collection chamber arranged to receive the vol atile matter liberated by said heating means, an injecting device for spraying a solvent into said chamber, and means for agitating the liquid and volatile matter together. I

5 26. An ore treating apparatus, comprising heating means adapted to raise the temperature of ore to the point at Which volatile matter is liberated from such ore, a collection chamber arranged to receive the vola- 19 tile matter liberated by said heating means,

' an injecting device for spraying a solvent into said chamber, a pump located and arranged to exhaust the liquid. and gaseous matter from said chamber and being constructed to agitate the liquid and volatile matter together.

. In testimony whereof I have aifixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses. I HIRAM E. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR H. BROWN, 'P. W.' PEZZETTI. 

